My cat, in her travels, knocked a jar of grape leaves off the shelf and the
seal on the lid was broken, so I got to make stuffed grape leaves. They were
so good I thought you all would enjoy them too. So . . . .
Stuffed Grape Leaves
1 cup uncooked basmati rice
olive oil cooking spray
4 medium onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tube Gimme Lean -Beef flavor
1/2 cup pine nuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins or currants soaked in boiling water and drained
1/4 cup fresh parsley, de-stemmed and minced
about 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
salt to taste (about 1 to 1-1/2 tsp)
1 jar preserved grape leaves, drained and rinsed well in cool water
*Sauce:
about 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh mint, chopped
1 onion, chopped
10-12 fresh tomatoes, skinned and chopped OR: one 28oz can pureed tomatoes
Lightly spray medium skillet and saute chopped onions and garlic until soft.
Mix in spices and saute for a few minutes more until onions are soft. Cool